2017 Hatch #2
Our second hatch of 2017 resulted in Easter Egger, Oliver Egger, White Leghorn, and Delaware chicks.
2017 Hatch #1
This first hatch batch of 2017 was in preparation for the Spring Poultry Homesteading Faire. In the past, many people at the Faire have shown interest in Marans. Currently, we do not have a Marans rooster. So, instead I focused on Olive Eggers. I also hatched White Leghorns and Delaware chicks.
Black Copper Marans
We have had Black Copper Marans for a few years. They are not my favorite breed. However, they do have a place in our flock. We breed our Marans based on the French standard, as well as the APA, which means they have feathered shanks and toes.
What is an Egg Tooth?
Most birds and reptiles have an egg tooth, which is an essential part in the hatching process. On birds, it is small, sharp, and sits at the tip of the upper beak.
Marans
Marans are a heavy, dual purpose bird. They are generally raised for their dark brown egg, but also make a good meat bird. Marans are named after a port town in France. Over the centuries local birds were bred with birds brought from seaman coming to port. The modern Marans breed began development in the …
White Leghorn
White leghorns are another of my favorite birds to have on our farm. They are a basic, no nonsense bird. They rarely cause any trouble. They eat. They lay eggs. They are on the flighty side, so aren’t the best choice for a pet chicken. But, as part of our barnyard flock they are perfect. …
2016 Hatch #3
The previous hatch did not go as expected. I wrote the company from where I ordered the eggs. Their policy is no refunds, etc. since they can’t control what happens with the eggs after they leave their farm. Understandable. I still wrote them, though. Number one, as a company I would want to know when …
2016 Hatch #2
Warning: this is not a happy hatch day post. If reading about the bad days doesn’t interest you, you should probably skip this post. Cream Legbars have been a breed I’d been wanting for awhile. The timing never seemed to work out and there aren’t many breeders nearby. This summer I finally decided to take …
2016 Update – Week 37
This week it’s all about the chicks we hatched over the summer.
2016 Update – Week 31
Happenings this week in the hot days of summer: